New York's 61st State Senate district

New York's 61st State Senate district is one of 63 districts in the New York State Senate. It has been represented by Democrat Sean Ryan since 2023.^[3]

New York's 61st State Senate district
Senator	Sean Ryan D–Erie County
Registration	37.8% Democratic 33.6% Republican 21.0% No party preference
Demographics	78% White 11% Black 4% Hispanic 5% Asian
Population (2017)	293,439[1]
Registered voters	200,693[2]

Geography

District 61 stretches from Buffalo's inner suburbs to the southwestern corner of Rochester, including parts of Erie and Monroe Counties and all of Genesee County.^[1][4]

The district overlaps with New York's 24th, 25th, and 26th congressional districts, and with the 137th, 138th, 139th, 144th, and 146th districts of the New York State Assembly.^[5]

Recent election results

2024

2024 New York State Senate election, District 61

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sean Ryan
	Working Families	Sean Ryan
	Total	Sean Ryan (incumbent)
	Republican	Christine Czarnik
	Conservative	Christine Czarnik
	Total	Christine Czarnik
	Write-in
Total votes				100.0

2022 (redistricting)

2022 New York State Senate election, District 61^[6][7][8][9]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sean Ryan	11,448	86.1
	Democratic	Benjamin Carlisle	1,798	13.5
	Write-in		51	0.4
Total votes			13,297	100.0
	Republican	Edward Rath III	3,712	78.0
	Republican	Joel Giambra	994	20.9
	Write-in		54	1.1
Total votes			4,760	100.0
	Conservative	Edward Rath III	203	83.9
	Conservative	Joel Giambra	37	15.3
	Write-in		2	0.8
Total votes			242	100.0
General election
	Democratic	Sean Ryan	57,616
	Working Families	Sean Ryan	6,285
	Total	Sean Ryan (incumbent)	63,901	56.6
	Republican	Edward Rath III	39,305
	Conservative	Edward Rath III	9,500
	Total	Edward Rath III (incumbent)	48,805	43.3
	Write-in		90	0.1
Total votes			112,796	100.0
	Democratic win (new boundaries)

2020

2020 New York State Senate election, District 61^[10][11][12]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jacqualine Berger	9,386	38.6
	Democratic	Kim Smith	9,232	37.9
	Democratic	Joan Seamans	5,577	22.9
	Write-in		133	0.6
Total votes			24,328	100.0
	Independence	Edward Rath III	1,003	70.2
	Independence	Andrew Gruszka	397	27.8
	Write-in		28	2.0
Total votes			1,428	100.0
General election
	Republican	Edward Rath III	66,085
	Conservative	Edward Rath III	10,753
	Independence	Edward Rath III	2,492
	SAM	Edward Rath III	127
	Total	Edward Rath III	79,457	53.7
	Democratic	Jacqualine Berger	68,230	46.2
	Write-in		131	0.1
Total votes			147,818	100.0
	Republican hold

2018

2018 New York State Senate election, District 61^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Ranzenhofer	49,410
	Conservative	Michael Ranzenhofer	9,199
	Independence	Michael Ranzenhofer	1,746
	Reform	Michael Ranzenhofer	425
	Total	Michael Ranzenhofer (incumbent)	60,780	54.1
	Democratic	Joan Seamans	48,279
	Working Families	Joan Seamans	2,010
	Women's Equality	Joan Seamans	1,182
	Total	Joan Seamans	51,471	45.8
	Write-in		20	0.1
Total votes			112,271	100.0
	Republican hold

2016

2016 New York State Senate election, District 61^[11]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Working Families	Thomas Loughran	46	80.0
	Working Families	Andre Liszka	13	20.0
	Write-in		0	0.0
Total votes			59	100.0
	Reform	Michael Ranzenhofer (incumbent)	14	100.0
	Write-in		0	0.0
Total votes			14	100.0
General election
	Republican	Michael Ranzenhofer	60,480
	Conservative	Michael Ranzenhofer	10,964
	Independence	Michael Ranzenhofer	3,338
	Reform	Michael Ranzenhofer	473
	Total	Michael Ranzenhofer (incumbent)	75,255	57.6
	Democratic	Thomas Loughran	49,316
	Working Families	Thomas Loughran	2,954
	Women's Equality	Thomas Loughran	1,093
	Total	Thomas Loughran	53,363	40.9
	Green	Ruben Cartagena Jr.	2,012	1.5
	Write-in		29	0.0
Total votes			130,630	100.0
	Republican hold

2014

2014 New York State Senate election, District 61^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Ranzenhofer	38,845
	Conservative	Michael Ranzenhofer	9,265
	Independence	Michael Ranzenhofer	2,974
	Stop Common Core	Michael Ranzenhofer	627
	Total	Michael Ranzenhofer (incumbent)	51,711	65.8
	Democratic	Elaine Altman	23,632
	Working Families	Elaine Altman	3,204
	Total	Elaine Altman	26,836	34.2
	Write-in		26	0.0
Total votes			78,573	100.0
	Republican hold

2012

2012 New York State Senate election, District 61^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Ranzenhofer	60,866
	Conservative	Michael Ranzenhofer	8,492
	Independence	Michael Ranzenhofer	3,745
	Total	Michael Ranzenhofer (incumbent)	73,103	59.0
	Democratic	Justin Rooney	46,990
	Working Families	Justin Rooney	3,899
	Total	Justin Rooney	50,889	41.0
	Write-in		31	0.0
Total votes			124,023	100.0
	Republican hold

Federal results in District 61

Year	Office	Results[13][14]
2020	President	Biden 52.9 – 44.9%
2016	President	Trump 47.8 – 47.3%
2012	President	Obama 50.2 – 48.1%
	Senate	Gillibrand 60.5 – 38.0%

References

1. "State Senate District 61, NY". Census Reporter. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
2. "Enrollment by Senate District". New York State Board of Elections. February 2019.
3. "New York State Senator Sean Ryan". The New York State Senate. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
4. "Our District". The New York State Senate. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
5. David Jarman. "How do counties, House districts, and legislative districts all overlap?". Daily Kos. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
6. "2022 Election Results". New York State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
7. "2022 Democratic Primary Results" (PDF). Erie County Board of Elections. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
8. "2022 Republican Primary Results" (PDF). Erie County Board of Elections. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
9. "2022 Conservative Primary Results" (PDF). Erie County Board of Elections. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
10. "Certified Results from the June 23, 2020 Primary Election" (PDF). New York State Board of Elections. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
11. "New York State Senate District 61". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
12. "State Senator 61st Senate District - General Election - November 3, 2020". New York State Board of Elections. December 3, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
13. "Daily Kos Elections Statewide Results by LD". Daily Kos. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
14. "2020 Presidential by Legislative District & Most Recent Election Result". CNalysis. Retrieved June 9, 2021.